Welcome
to our second newsletter! It is a little late as we took possession of
our brand new house just as i was due to put the finishing touches-
moving into a house in the middle of a weather bomb was not fun! However the arrival of our 2 new kittens Yuzu and Swatch made up for it- and
they have been a great distraction I must say!
I really appreciate making aromatic connections
and it is wonderful to hear different stories. One great connection
which struck a chord after the feature on Acacia oils is this face book page
covering everything about Wattles- I just love the look of the chocs
and have been salivating in a virtual sense over them-they look
delicious!
With
a newsletter such as this I know the readership is diverse with the
common bond of aromatics,however I don’t wish to supply basic
information. For those who are new or just starting their aromatic
journey please feel free to ask for the free introductory aromatherapy lesson- no obligation!
I
couldn’t decide between which oils to cover and initially had chosen
two (YUZU and petitgrains) but have now back tracked as there is so much
I have gathered on Yuzu and there is also so much to share on the
diversity of the petitgrains that I will hold those ones over to the
next newsletter. YUZU is an oil, which when you meet it, shows an
intriguing persona. Parts of it seem familiar, much like when you bump
into someone in the street and you recognise the face or voice, but
can’t quite place them in context. The rest of it is evocative and
exciting like meeting a stranger and you want to get to know them more! I
first came across YUZU a few years ago while visiting New York for the
very time. My good friend and host took me to ‘The Village’ where all
the wonderful quirky shops are- and I saw some incense cones (I am not a
fan of incense normally) but these were made of YUZU oil and I was
hooked! I then spent a long time trying to track some down and as chance
had it a group of Korean aromatherapists came to NZ and attended a
workshop with me and I was gifted a precious bottle of Yuzu oil which I
sniffed and shared but never used. Over time I was able to get some on
an adhoc basis and now it feels like a ‘regular’ oil I use and love- but
one which still excites me! I would love to hear your experiences
either on face book or on the website here. The next newsletter will continue the citrus theme and cover some unusual petitgrain oils.
Oil of the Month-YUZU
Common name
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Yuzu
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Botanical name
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Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka
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Synonyms
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Nil
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Family
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Rutaceae
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Extraction method
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Cold expression of
the rinds- this oil has been quite rare to Western aromatherapists until
relatively recent times and is one of the most expensive of citrus oils
in commercial production. The yield is between 0.18-0.2%. Research has
been conducted on stem distilled oil, however i have not seen
commercial steam distilled oil available for sale,
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Main oil countries
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Japan-some production in Korea. Originated in China and cultivated in Japan from the 10th
C. It also appears that there is production from China, however I have
not seen this oil available commercially. Yuzu is widely produced in
various parts of Japan, with an estimated 20,000 tonnes produced
annually, primarily for flavouring. The juice is used to make Japanese
salad dressing called ‘Ponzu’ and the peel is used to make marmalade. A
teaspoon of marmalade in a glass of champagen is reported to be a nice
drink! The zest is also used in a spicy sauce made with chillies. In
Korea the rind is made into a health tea taken for its antioxidant properties. In the last ten years there has been an increase in the demand for the essential oil, both for aromatherapeutic as well as
fragrancing purposes.(Ref: Kasiwagi et al. 2009)
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Description
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The
yuzu is a small tree (up to 4 m high), with yellow fruit similar to
small oranges, large lemons. The rind can be quite knobbly or pitted.
The lovely white flowers bloom in autumn. It is very cold resistant.The essential oil is pale yellow
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Aroma
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A tangy, crisp
citrus oil-floral yet citrus like-similar to grapefruit but not as
sweet. Similar to a cold pressed lime or very good quality bergamot.
Descriptive aromatic notes present in decreasing order are : grassy,
floral, herbal, sweet, citrus, green and bitter. Other minor aromatic notes include spicy, minty and astringent amongst others (Ref:
Thi Lan Phi & Sawamura, 2008)
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Key constituents %
174 differnt compounds have been detected, and of these around 74 have been postively identified
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Cold Pressed Oil
Between
94-98% of the total volume of constitutions are made up of a mix of
monoterpene hydrocarbons (82%) and sesquiterpenes (6-7%). The most
prominent constituent is d-limonene at 56-60%, the next most prominent
is gamma terpinene at 11-13%. The remaining 60+ ingredients are mostly
present in munite amounts of 0.1-3%
(Ref: Thi Lan Phi & Sawamura, 2008)
Steam Distilled Oi lFresh
steam distilled yuzu oil has around 44 identified constituents, with
monoterpen hydrocarbons accounting for >95%. Sesquiterpene
hydrocarbons at <3%. Limonene was the most prominent at >72%. Gamma
terpinene was the second most prominent at >11%. the SDO contains
less alcohol and sesquiterpene hydrosols compared to the CPO as well as
trace aldehyde's and esters.
When stored at 250C
the SDO degraded more rapidly compared to the CPO, possibly due to the
higher percentage of non volatiles in the CPO. One of the most significant changes was that p- cymene increased as it is converted from
gamma terpinene. this can give an ‘off’ note to the oil. Spathulenol
forms in the oil after 9 months so this can used to detect the age of
the oil (Ref: Kasiwagi et al. 2010)
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Safety
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Does not seem to have any safety concerns, not photo toxic as no furocourmarins present in oil
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Therapeutic uses
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Uplifting, anti septic, circulatory tonic, aches and pains
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History
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Widely used in
Japan and Asia as a fragrance and flavouring agent-drinks, dressings,
marmalade and ice cream. Used during the winter solstice to ward off
winter ills- e.g. the whole fruit or rind is added to a hot bath.
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Blends with
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basil, benzoin,
clary sage, chamomile Roman, cypress, frankincense, geranium, ginger,
jasmine, juniper berry, lavender, neroli, patchouli, petitgrain, rose
(absolute & otto), sandalwood, vetiver and ylang.
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Aromatherapy details
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It is a very
effective oil for use with stress; burn-out, nervous tension or anxiety,
where it helps to bring a soothing and calming effect to the emotions.
Likewise it gives an uplift to depressive states, frustration, regret
and also helps to build confidence. I have the oil to be very effective
in small doses.If you are buying oil it would be important to know
whether it is produced via cold pressing or steam distilled, given the variations in the constituents as described. Also the SDO oil will
degrade faster, so it is best to store at below 250C and in
dark glass bottles as all oils should be. Experimental studies (rat
based :( ) suggest that Yuzu oil calms the sympathetic nervous system
(kumagai et al, (2009).
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Notes and research
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The oil has been
widely researched for use with agricultural areas to inhibit weeds and
seed propagation. Experimental work has alos been untaken which shows
that the oil has some chemoprotective effects against certain
carcinogens and their assocaited cancers (Sawamura, 2000).
References:
Kashiwagi,
T., Thi Lan Phi, N. & Sawamura, M. (2010). Compositional Cahnges in
Yuzu (Citrus Junos) Steam Distilled Oil and Effects of Antioxidants on
Oil Quality During Storage. Food Science Technology Research, 16(1), 51-58
Kumagai et. al (2009).TitleEffects of olfactory stimulation with Yuzu (Citrus junos) peel oil on autonomic nerves, lipolysis and body temperature. Aroma Research Vol. 10 No. 2 pp. 156-161
Thi Lan Phi, N.
& Sawamura, M. (2008). Characterisitc Aroma Composition profile of
mature Stage Citrus junos (Yuzu) Peel Oil from Different Origins, Food Science Technology Research, 14(4), 359-366.
Miyazawa, N. et al (2009). Novel Character Impact Compounds in Yuzu (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka) Peel Oil
Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, 2009, 57 (5), pp 1990–1996
Njoroge, S. et al (1996). Changes in the Volatile Composition of Yuzu (Citrus junos Tanaka) Cold-Pressed Oil during Storage Journal of Agricultural. Food Chemistry 1996, 44 (2), pp 550–556
Sawamura, M. (2000). Aroma Research Journal 2000 Vol. 1 No. 1 pp. 14-19 Aroma and functional properties of Japanese yuzu (Citrus junos Tanaka) essential oil.
For some wonderful images and ideas please see www.yuzupassion.com
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Phototoxicity
One of the factors to consider with
citrus essential oils is that many of them can cause photo toxic
reactions when applied to the skin. What this means is that when the
skin is exposed to sunlight or sun beds or other UV the rays of the sun
will intensify on the skin and will cause burning, sensitisation or
other such reactions. In effect it is the opposite action to sun blocks
this effect is due to the presence of furocoumarins in the oils.
Therapeutically these have been exploited in some ways in the past such
as in the treatment of psoriasis (which responds positively to UV
light). Also previously some tanning products may have used them to help
the skin tan. We now know this is actually damaging to the skin. It is
usually only cold pressed oils which are photo toxic and not all the
citrus oils are. Furanocoumarins are not volatile so are never in the
distilled citrus oils. They can however be present in CO2
extracted oils. Other constituents are also phototoxic including
psoralens. The risk for phototoxic reactions occurs when the substance
is applied to the skin, which is then exposed to UV light. The
sensitivity peaks at 1-2 hours after application but will last up to 8
hours, so it is best to avoid any UV exposure for at least 12 hours.
There is conflicting evidence as to whether this would increase the risk
of skin cancer, however it is best to be prudent in any areas of
potential or actual risk. If UV exposure can’t be avoided then wear
suitable clothing or apply a sunscreen (at least factor 15).
The following table has the % of
bergapten and the maximum allowable concentration for use on the skin.
Please take note of this when you are making your blends. If you are
making products to sell you will need to follow international standards
for the incorporation of citrus oils into creams and lotions. These vary
from country to country, however as a general guide they range from
0.4% and never exceed 5% as per the table below.
Essential oil
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Bergapten %
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Max. Conc. %
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Bergamot (expressed)
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0.1-0.5
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0.4
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Lime (expressed)
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0.1-0.3
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0.7
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Bitter orange (expressed)
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0.07
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1.4
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Lemon expressed
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0.15-0.25
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2
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Grapefruit expressed
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0.01
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 Swatch
(black & White) and Yuzu (black). Yuzu the kitten is energetic,
adorable, and slightly cheeky so think she suits her name sake!
Disclaimer
The
information here has been collated for the enjoyment of people
interested in aromatherapy. It is not to be used in place of medical
advise. the author is not liable for any event which occurs as a result
of this newsletter. Resources are supplied to assist the individual in
pursuing their own research and does not imply and endorsement by the
author of a product or brand or website. All sources are acknowledged
where known. if you beleive copyright has been infringed in any way
please contact the author. If you would like to use any information from
this newsletter please acknowledge source as Aromatic Adventures
(www.aromaticadventures.com)
©Aromatic Adventures (MJ Health Ltd).
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